Summer holiday scams warning - checks you need to carry out to stay protected

The summer holidays are coming up fast – but it’s everyone’s worst nightmare to get scammed while they’re supposed to be relaxing in the sun.

The MoneyMagpie team have seen their fair share of scams and fraudulent behaviour, and we want to make sure our money-saving abilities extend to warning you about how to avoid losing your money when you’re abroad!

Check Your Change

Before you go away, make sure you know what the money is like for your destination. Have some simple conversion sums in your head (what is one pound, ten pounds, one hundred pounds equivalent?).

This will help you learn if something is a good price or not. Before you leave a shop when you have paid in cash, check your change. It’s very common for tourists to be shortchanged by unscrupulous people who rely on the fact you might not know what each coin or note is worth.

Study Your Bill

When you eat out on holiday, we all expect the bill to be a bit higher as we splash out. You’re on holiday, after all! But hidden charges and extra drinks you never ordered can sneak their way onto your bill.

So can ‘cover charges’ which is literally a charge for you sitting at a table! Then there is service charge, the mandatory tip, and that free bread basket might not be so free after all.

Go through the items on your bill before you pay, and be ready to speak up about any discrepancies.

Pre-Book Your Taxi

Wherever possible, pre-book your taxi with a set fare. Apps like Uber are useful here, and there might be a local version to try, too.

Taxis are notorious for ripping tourists off by charging them a higher rate, driving them around longer, and not showing the meter to confirm the charge. Pre-booking helps keep the price low and avoid last-minute arguments over the meter.

Currency Conversion Cheats

Long gone are the days that we go to the bureaux de change in the airport and exchange our quids for euros. Most places will accept credit or debit payments these days, which makes things much easier – but watch out for extra charges.

Your normal current account card could be at risk. Not only is it unlikely to offer decent exchange rates but if your card is stolen your whole bank account is at risk. That’s why we like to suggest prepaid travel cards, which limit the balance in case it is stolen and offer decent exchange rates, too.

Revolut is one of the most popular as there are no currency conversion fees at all.

Look Out for Pickpockets

It’s an old art form that’s still rife today. Pickpockets use sleight of hand to steal your phone, wallet, or even passport. Keep your wits about you to avoid your valuables being stolen.

Don’t leave your phone on a restaurant table, especially if you’re outside. A common scam is to put a menu on your phone and lift both up together, or someone poses as lost and puts a map over it to try the same trick.

Don’t walk around with your phone or wallet on display or in your pocket. Keep them in a zipped bag close to your body.

If you’re in a busy area or on public transport, keep your hand on your zip to prevent sneaky hands from sliding in. Pickpockets often work in groups, entering a train carriage together and talking with each other – causing enough distraction that you don’t notice the one standing next to you fishing around in your pocket or bag.

Hotel Credit Card Scams

When you check into your hotel, don’t say your room number loud enough for anyone else to overhear it. This helps protect your personal safety.

Put valuables in the hotel safe whenever you leave the room, and if there isn’t one then take them with you if you can. If you have to leave them behind, ask to put them in the hotel reception safe and get a receipt.

If your room phone rings and it sounds like someone on reception says the credit card on your room has failed, or they have a problem with the booking, hang up. Go to the reception in person to check if they have an issue. A scam involves these phone calls to get financial information off unsuspecting travellers – going to reception will quickly confirm whether the hotel has a problem or if a scammer has targeted you.

Keep Copies of Important Things

If you are the victim of a pickpocket, or something goes missing from your hotel room, it can make things tricky to get home or access your cash.

Before you go away, write a document that includes your bank details (not passwords!), a copy of your passport, and any other important documents like your travel insurance.

Upload it to a cloud server like iCloud or Google Drive, so that you can access the important things even if your bank cards or passport go missing.

And finally, booking a hotel and holiday can be costly so if a deal looks like it’s too good to be true, it usually is. There are some exceptions – including the deals and offers on the MoneyMagpie page that are updated weekly!